The Ying-Yang Balance
by Chenarisu1226
Summary: He heaved another raspy cough. "H-How can you see me?" He whispered. Yet here she was, regarding him with unyielding chocolate irises. "What nonsense are you muttering about…of course I can see you!" She muttered angrily. "Come on, I'm going to help you." Jack Frost never expected to become friends with a 22 year old single mother...or even grow close.
1. Chapter 1

__**Hey guys! WOW It's been a while since I wrote a fanfic...I've had this in my mind for a LONG time now but couldnt bring myself to write it till...well..today! At 2am! :) I hope you guys like it and PLEASE review! I'll continue writing it depending on the reviews I get so I would GREATLY appreciate them! THANK YOU!**

***Disclaimer* I don't own Jack/RotG...if I did I wouldn't be here right now :3.**

_I…I can't breathe._

The Wind tried to swerve the tumbling Jack Frost onto a soft pile of snow located in the middle of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, his high fever did not help the maneuvering and he ended up crash-landing off the roof of a nearby house, landing on the pavement with a sickening thud.

He was having trouble breathing. Thick puffs of fog came out from his dry mouth and he struggled to inhale and exhale. The Wind circled around him with anxiety at his collapsed figure. The people who continued walking through him did not help his current condition. The cold, empty feeling as human flesh casually slips through his body. The feeling of being abandoned…not believed in…alone.

He was a Guardian for God's sake! Guardians never fall ill…at least to this extent. His mind flashed to the other four and he let out a weak smirk. _Ha…I wonder how the kangaroo would react if he saw me now… _He can imagine the Easter Bunny shaking him rigorously while scolding him for letting himself get so weak, but then he would immediately gather herbs from his warren that would help ease his illness. Tooth, meanwhile, would frantically flutter left, right, up, down…not sure what to do first. Get warm water? Get some food? No, make some soup. No, he needs to bathe first. AH! Jack laughed at her voice as he imagined the scene. Sandy would try to cheer him up with a game of charades using his sand. North would…yeah, he would probably try to sing some Russian folklore or bring some cool inventions that he made to try to distract Jack from his pain.

Since Pitch's fall, they've become a big family- always watching out for one another's backs. However, everyone still has their own tasks and Jack, whose basic job was to make snow, did not want to intrude on anyone else as they hurried to make the prettiest Easter eggs, collect teeth, distribute dream sand, or create the coolest toys. As a result, he ended up growing very ill and stubbornly refused to seek aid, hoping the cold would just go away on its own.

_Am…I going to die here…_? He heaved another raspy cough and closed his eyes, praying the snow would cool his dangerously high temperature.

Suddenly, he felt a warm hand on his forehead. "Jesus Christ…he's burning up! How can you all be just walking by this poor kid?!"

"Lady…what the hell are you talking about? There's no one there!"

Jack weakly opened his eyes to see a young woman quickly shrug off her jacket and drape it over his body. "Don't worry, I'm going to help you right away."

Her raven-black hair was covered with a thin layer of snow as she regarded him with large, anxious chocolate eyes. "I need you to stand up for me though…come on." She gently tugged on his arm and managed to get him onto his feet. She wrapped one arm around his waist while the other kept his arm draped over her shoulders. His clouded mind became even more messed up.

"H-How can you see me?" He whispered. She had to be at least in her early twenties. Everyone around them stared with confused eyes. He didn't blame them- to them, the woman looked as though she was carrying empty air.

"What nonsense are you muttering about…of course I can see you!" She muttered angrily. "I can't believe how stupidly ignorant and selfish people are in this world…"

"N-No…I mean-" He coughed harshly again.

"Save your energy and stop talking! We're almost there." They slowly trudged towards a small suburban home. Her boots made low crunching sounds as she walked through the snow in her driveway.

As she opened the door, warm air with the smell of vanilla and cinnamon met Jack. "Come on, one more step!" The woman urged.

Jack couldn't find the energy. He tried to raise one foot and ended up tripping over the doorstep, landing on the soft carpet.

"Kid?! Hey, kid! Get up! Hey!" Her voice slowly faded away as his mind drifted into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**YAY! TWO REVIEWS! Thank you so much! You have no idea how much simple reviews motivate me to continue writing :) YOU GUYS ROCK! Please keep it up and let me know your thoughts!**

He was floating on the waves of a clear-blue ocean. He felt gentle nudging to his side and turned to see several dolphins chirping worriedly as they led him to the shoreline.

_Wow...this is the first time I've fallen asleep in a long time. _He softly smiled at his favorite animals and he gently patted their heads, silently thanking Sandy for such a pleasant dream. Being the winter spirit and now Guardian, his body was accustomed to the absence of sleep. After all, if he slacked off for a single minute, numerous children would be devastated to see their cities' weather forecasts be incorrect.

Thinking about that now made him frown with anxiety. How long had he been out? How many disappointments did he create? Suddenly, the dolphins nudging grew stronger and stronger...

"Cedric! Stop poking him like that! The poor kid needs rest!"

"But Moooom..."

Jack slowly blinked open his cerulean eyes and met bright green ones in return. "See? Look, Mom! He's up!"

The woman from before immediately came to his side. "Well I'll be darned...it's about time!"

They were in a simple living room and Jack was covered in blankets on the couch. He noted that he felt significantly better and his chest no longer felt like it was on fire.

"H-How long was I out?" He rasped, cringing at the soreness in his throat.

"Over two days I believe..." The woman replied regarding her watch. "I was worried that I would have to take you to the hospital!"

"Two days?!" Jack immediately threw off the blankets and tried to stand, only to collapse back on his knees. Cedric immediately supported his weight and pushed him back on the couch.

"Oh no you don't!" He scolded in his best attempt at imitating an adult's voice. "You need to stay here and rest!"

"I don't have time for resting! I need to-" He looked around him. "Where the heck even am I?!"

"Oh...this is awkward. I totally forgot to introduce myself." The woman sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Well..the name's Ariadne Ciaste, and this is-"

"And I'm Cedric Ciaste!" The boy grinned. Ariadne playfully ruffled his dark hair at his interruption. "And you're at our house right now!"

Suddenly, the phone rang with a loud BRRRRIIINGGGGG! "I'll go get that." Ariadne stated. "Ceddy, make sure Jack doesn't move from this couch. I do NOT want to heave his sorry butt back here, you got it?"

Cedric gave her a mock salute. "Yes ma'am!"

She ruffled his hair again before regarding Jack with a wink. "You better stay put, kid. I'll be right back."

"Wait...do you know who I am?" She was already in the next room, however, and didnt hear him. Cedric, on the other hand, grinned and eagerly tugged on Jack's shirt.

"You're Jack Frost, aren't you?" He whispered in his ear excitedly. Jack smiled. He was always happy to hear the awe in children's voices when they meet him for the first time.

"Yeah...haha. How'd you know?" Jack asked with playful sarcasm.

Cedric pouted. "Hey... A lot of kids my age have no idea what you look like. Heck, even my mom doesn't know!"

Jack's eyes widened in surprise. "And yet...she can still see me...?"

"Well yeah! I mean...who doesn't?" Cedric naively replied.

"...how old are you?"

"Five and a half." Cedric said with his chest puffed out in pride.

"And..your mom?"

"Twenty-two I think..."

Jack's eyes bulged out. "Twenty-two only?!"

"Yeah...? What's the problem?"

"See...that's the thing. Usually only...er... kids who believe in me are able to see me. And when they see me, they usually know who I am."

"So mom believes in you...but she just doesn't recognize you?"

"Well that's the thing...only children usually see me...not-"

Cedric shrugged. "There's an exception for everything! Don't worry...my mom's super nice!"

_I already know she is... _After all, she did bring in a random stranger into her own home. "I don't know...your mom seems a bit too old to actually believe in me, Cedric."

"Just introduce yourself!" He urged. "And then if she still doesn't get it...then just show her what you can do with your staff!"

"Haha...I'll think about it." Jack reached to his side, only to meet empty air. He suddenly looked around in panic. "Wait, where is it?!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the more reviews! :D You guys are the BEST! Please keep it up (and sorry this is semi-delayed!)**

"Whoa! Get back here!"

Jack sprinted out the door in, wildly looking left and right on the deserted snowy streets for the familiar Shepard's hook. His rapid breaths came out as puffs in the winter night as he looked through bushes, under benches, anywhere he could lay his hands on.

Ariadne immediately came to his side and yanked his arm. "What the heck are you doing?!"

"M-My staff…" Jack wheezed. "I-It's gone."

"What are you talking about?"

Cedric was not far behind them, quickly hopping down the front door steps. "Jack, don't worry! I'm sure someone just picked it up!"

"Ceddy, get back inside!" Ariadne scolded. "It's too cold out!"

Ceddy pouted, but obeyed her nevertheless. Ariadne turned her gaze back to Jack. "So, you're name's Jack?"

Jack, whose eyes still scanned the landscape in hopes of finding his staff, nodded. Ariadne, annoyed by his distracted gaze, stood on her toes to direct his face directly at her. His eyes widened in surprise at their close proximity.

"Look at people in the eyes when they talk to you!" She growled angrily. She suddenly noticed the heat in his pale skin. "Damn it, you're burning up again…let's get you inside. We'll find your staff… thing… tomorrow."

"But-"

"No buts!" She began dragging him back inside. "The faster you get better, the sooner we'll be able to get you back to your family." When they came back into the toasty house, Ariadne noticed Cedric already passed out on one of the armchairs near the fireplace. She softly smiled and quickly grabbed a blanket to drape it over his small figure while Jack tiredly plopped down on the couch, suddenly realizing how little strength he possessed. Ariadne then came over to Jack and patted his head with a warm towel.

"They must be really anxious…" She muttered. Jack's thoughts drifted to his new family: North, Bunnymund, Tooth, and Sandy.

"Yeah…probably." He unconsciously nodded his head in agreement…_They must know by now that something happened to me. I hope they're not too worried_.

As silence overcame them, Jack regarded her. She continued to pat his face with a blank expression.

"Why did you decide to help me?" He finally asked. She looked surprised at his question.

"What are you talking about? What kind of person would leave just a young kid like you on the streets when you obviously needed help?" She turned around to reach into the cupboard.

"Even if I'm not a human?"

Ariadne snapped her head around. There was a pregnant silence before she laughed. "Pfft…what are you talking about?"

"Look…I don't know how to put this gently but…" He took the towel off his face. "My name's-"

"Mommy?"

Jack frowned at the interruption, which was unseen by Ariadne. "I'm right here, sweetie." She looked over her shoulder and saw Cedric slowly climb down from the armchair. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, but upon seeing Jack sitting in front of his mother he immediately brightened up. "Jack's still here!"

Jack couldn't help but share the boy's enthusiasm. "Haha yeah…I'm not going anywhere yet." _Well…It's more like I __**can't**__._

Cedric grabbed his mother's arm excitedly. "Mommy, can Jack stay here forever?"

Ariadne stroked his hair. "Ceddy…he can't. He has a family he needs to go back to."

"But if he stays…we can be his family!" Cedric whined. His eyes then shone with realization. "He can be my new daddy!"

Jack and Ariadne practically fell over. _Not good…my fever is increasing. _Jack thought in embarrassment, placing the towel back on his blushing face. Ariadne coughed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before grabbing Cedric's shoulders. "Ceddy, um…Jack is a bit too young to be your new daddy just yet."

"But weren't you his age when you had me?" Cedric protested. "That's what grandma told me!"

Jack noticed Ariadne flinch at the question, clenching her hands. She forced a smile. "That's true! Now come one Ceddy, let's get you to bed. We'll talk about this tomorrow!"

"Aw…I don't wanna!"

"Don't 'aw' me!" She picked him up and threw him over her shoulder while he giggled, trying to break from her grasp. "I'm going to drag you up there if I have to."

"Bye Jack!" He laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Jack raised his hand and waved at his retreating figure. As the stairs creaked from Ariadne's steps, he took the opportunity to look around.

Frames of Ariadne and Cedric hung on the walls. One small picture in particular caught his eye. He got up to his feet and approached it, getting a closer look.

**R&R! Sorry if some of the grammar's screwed up...I didn't go back and edit bc i wanted to get this chapter uploaded ASAP :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Whew...this one took a while to write :) I hope you guys like it!**

It was of a man and woman holding a baby, taken presumably in a park seen by the greenery surrounding the couple. He was able to discern Ariadne and Cedric, even though the latter looked far chubbier and smaller. She had a soft smile as she looked at the camera. The man had rich chocolate hair and bright green eyes. _Probably where the boy got his irises from, _Jack concluded. He was also smiling, except his was a wide grin and he held up two fingers as a peace sign while the other arm was hung around Ariadne's shoulders.

"If you couldn't tell…that's Cedric's father."

Jack looked behind him and saw Ariadne leaning against the door frame. He gave a small smirk, "it wasn't that hard to guess." He straightened up and cringed as his aching body protested. "So…what happened to him?"

Ariadne chose to ignore his question and instead took note of his cringe. "You shouldn't be pushing yourself. Here, I got some Advil for your headache." She came forward and held the bottle out towards him. Jack gently pushed her hand away.

"I'm alright, my head doesn't hurt anymore." He replied. "Rather, I'm curious."

"They say curiosity killed the cat." She teased as she placed the bottle on the table next to them.

"Well I'm not a cat, am I?" He returned her jest. He couldn't help it…there were so many questions on his mind that he wanted answers.

She gave him a knowing look. "Well…someone's feeling a lot better." She turned away while raising her arms up to tie her hair into a ponytail. "Too bad…it's none of your business."

Jack opened his mouth to argue and Ariadne held up a hand. "There are some things a kid like you doesn't need to know. You'll learn when you get older."

_If only she knew_…Jack mused as he clenched his jaw. _Wait…why am I getting so angry over this? She's right. It really isn't any of my business._

But he couldn't help it. Something about her attracted him. Maybe he still had a slight fever, or maybe he felt indebted to her, but he just **had** to learn everything about her.

"Anyway, get some rest. Tomorrow we're going to look for your staff…thing." She instructed as she began heading towards the staircase. She gave a slight wave. "See you in the morning!"

Jack returned the wave and sat back down on the couch. He heaved a sigh as he laid back on the pillows, bringing his hands behind his head. _So if Cedric is five…that means Ariadne had him when she was around the time I died. What could have possibly led her to become a mother at such a young age?_

His thoughts swirled around her so deeply that he barely heard the excited chirps and buzzing of wings that was right beside his ears. He sat up with a start. "Baby tooth?"

The adorable mini tooth fairy appeared right in front of his face and hugged his nose in glee. He laughed as he gently pried her away and held her in his hands. "What are you doing here?!"

She chirped quickly and happily as she pointed towards the window. He followed her gesture and grinned widely before quickly running towards it and opening the latch.

"Ayyyy there 'e is!" North greeted roughly as he immediately put Jack in a headlock, ruffling his hair.

Tooth fluttered beside the pair and gently put an arm on North's shoulder. "North! Give him some space!"

"Well whaddya guys know…he looks perfectly fine!" Bunny grumbled as he stepped out of the bushes. "All that worrying bout his disappearance for nothin'!"

Sandy frowned at Bunny's rude remark and a big X appeared above his head. Bunny sighed. "Alright, alright…cut me some slack, Sandy."

Jack finally escaped North's grasp. "W-What are you guys doing here?!" He asked breathlessly with a bright smile.

"Obviously makin' sure yer okay!" North stated as he harshly patted the boy's back. Jack coughed at the impact. "Ya been missin' for a couple days and e'ryone was worried bout ya!"

"But what about the factory?! And the fairies?! And the eggs?!" Jack demanded with anxiety. He hated the fact that he dragged all his friends away from their most important jobs.

"Oh Jack! Your welfare is more important than them!" Tooth assured. "It's only one night that we're away after all…you've been gone for at least two!"

"How did you even know I disappeared?" Jack looked at all of them. Sandy immediately began showing a series of images above his head but Bunny quickly opened his mouth.

"The Wind, mate." He stated. "She came to all of us in a big frenzy. Her gust was so strong it almost destroyed my eggs."

"She blew all my fairies away!" Tooth added with a smile.

"Fortunately, the yetties were able t' catch all the toys as she toppled 'em over!" North chuckled.

Jack gave a sheepish grin and silently thanked the Wind. "Sorry about that…I forgot how emotional she gets…"

"Ehh…no worry bout it!" North reassured. "'Nyways, what happened to you?"

"I don't even know…I never felt so weak before in my life." Jack recalled the events that happened in the past couple of days. "It was weird…I mean, I never get sick! Since I became Jack Frost I was always healthy and kicking but that day...man I actually felt like I was going to die."

Tooth worriedly placed a hand upon his cold forehead. "Well…at least you don't have a fever anymore. Heat is especially dangerous since you're the spirit of winter."

"I know." Jack affirmed. "I just don't understand why it suddenly happened…"

"Maybe you overwork yourself?" North suggested.

Jack barked a laugh. "Me? Overwork? North if anyone overworks themselves to this state it would either be you guys!"

"He's right." They all looked at Bunny expectantly. "I don't think this is a simple cold, mates."

**R&R :)!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alrighty Chapter 5! WHOOHOO! Haha I want to give a big shout-out to ****abysmal2218**** for her comments :) Thank you so much! **

Sandy nodded, agreeing with Bunny, and began showing a series of images. Bunnymund once again interrupted him by raising a paw up to stop him. Sandy pouted angrily and sand steam poured out of his ears.

Bunny sighed heavily. "A'ight. So the other day I was talkin' to Mother Nature and she told me about how recently she also got ill. It was so bad that she had to eat numerous rare herbs that even she herself has difficulty growing in order to get better."

"So what matter?" North asked in confusion. "She get cold as well, no problem!"

"Uh… big problem ol' pal." Bunny corrected. "This is Mother Nature. She's supposedly immune to every possible disease that exists because without her, catastrophes happen. For example, while she was sick, the weather has fluctuated throughout the world, causing sudden thunderstorms, hurricanes, and storms-like Hurricane Sandy at the Northeast region of the United States."

"That was because she was sick?!" Tooth exclaimed.

"Yeah…it ain't pretty." Bunnymund stated. "Her illness even disrupted my warren. All the painting flowers were dying and the coloring river began to run dry…it was terrible. Fortunately Easter wasn't anywhere close at the time."

"So, basically you're saying someone…or something…is out to get us." Jack concluded.

Bunny nodded. "Ya got that right, but it ain't just us. It's everyone. Sandy has even noticed that people's fears have begun to rise in their sleep because of the calamities that was caused by Mother Nature's pain."

"So it's Pitch!" North exclaimed, immediately drawing out his swords.

"Hold your horses there." Bunny raised his paws. Sandy raised a finger and made a no-no gesture. "It's not just Pitch…he's working with someone far beyond our power. But we have no idea who it is."

"But I don't understand…why target me?" Jack mused. "Honestly you four are WAY more important than me and you've been guardians far longer."

"Honestly, I don't know." Bunny admitted. "All I know is that while you were gone, there has been no snow anywhere and temperatures have not gotten cold enough. As a result, animal migration has been screwed over. More importantly, ice storms have gotten out of control in the tundra regions since you weren't there to monitor them."

"Damn it…" Jack muttered. "I can't leave now though! I lost my staff…without it I'm powerless."

"Jack, it's have to make sure you're better first." Tooth assured.

"She's right." Bunny agreed. "Mother Nature's gotten better and she was able to prevent any terrible damage.

He shuffled his feet and rubbed his fur to get warm. "Anyways, we all have to be careful now. If Jack has already gotten ill…who know what could happen to us. " He turned to the boy. "And be more wary, mate. Even if you've gotten better…a new illness can come back. I'm going to make a trip back to Mother Nature and see what other details I can find."

He turned to Sandy. "And Sandy'll try to see if he can track down Pitch. Hopefully when he does we can catch him and make him spill the beans."

Everyone nodded their heads. "I'll help by sending out some of my fairies." Tooth offered.

"Gah…I would send some o' my yetties…" North admitted guiltily. "But Christmas is just 'round corner."

"It's fine, big guy." Bunny reassured. He smirked. "Even though Christmas isn't as important as-"

"DON'T START IT." North boomed, his voice sending tremors down everyone's spines. "CHRISTMAS IS VERY IMPORTANT. MOST IMPORT-"

"Guys! Quiet down!" Jack shushed. "The people who've been taking care of me are sleeping at the moment!"

"Psh, they probably wouldn't be able to hear us anyway." Bunny scoffed. "You said the ankle-biter was five. At that age, kids sleep like crocodiles on a hot day. And the woman definitely wouldn't."

"Uh…actually she might." Jack corrected, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "She was able to see me so I wouldn't be surprised really."

Almost everyone's eyes popped out of their sockets. "What?!" North shouted.

"But you said she's 22!" Tooth exclaimed. Sandy had dozens of question marks popping up above his head.

"How is that even possible…?" Bunny muttered. "One, she's an adult. Two, she's a parent…when one has a child they immediately lose any childhood beliefs they had."

Jack shrugged. "I haven't the slightest idea. She doesn't even know who I am, which is the most bizarre part."

"That's crazy…" Tooth murmured. "Sandy, has this ever happened before?"

Sandy scratched his chin in deep thought. He then shook his head in denial.

"Well, I guess there's a first time for everythin'." Bunny commented. "Anyways, let's get going. Jack needs his rest."

"Right. Bye Jack!" North gave Jack one last big hug before he whistled for his reindeer. Tooth hugged him in farewell and she took off with a burst of her wings. Sandy conjured up a large sand Pegasus and he hopped on its saddle. As he tipped his hat, the flying horse galloped and flew away into the night sky. Bunnymund tapped his large foot twice on the ground and a hole opened up.

"Look… I know it ain't really any of my business about who you meet." Bunny began. "But be careful of her, mate. That ain't normal."

Jack rolled his eyes but appreciated his friend's concern. "Don't worry about it, Bunny." He gave his signature lopsided grin. "I'm old enough to handle myself."

Bunny smirked in response. "A'right, kiddo. See ya soon." He then hopped into the hole, which closed back up with a blooming marigold in its place.

**Please continue to R&R! I NEED THEM TO SURVIVE (jk but they do motivate me to continue writing...without them I always lose inspiration :(...)!**


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